In 1314, Verona’s master, Cangrande della Scala, extends patronage to Dante Alighieri, who has been banished from Florence, and his two surviving sons, Pietro, seventeen, and Jacopo, fourteen. The poet has recently published Inferno, to great renown and no little fear of heresy or impiety. But della Scala quickly realizes that Dante’s not the only gifted member of the family, nor the most useful.

Rather, he fixes on Pietro, who longs to escape his father’s shadow (while hoping pater will actually notice him one day and approve). And when Pietro falls in with two other youths — one noble, one from a merchant family pretending nobility — military adventure offers. Della Scala, a twenty-three-year-old wunderkind, dreams of uniting Italy under his banner. His approach to war, diplomacy, and familial politics has much to do with an ancient prophecy that says a figure called the Greyhound will realize that far-fetched scheme. He’s magnetic, generous, and apparently scrupulous, a rare combination. Pietro’s enthralled, and his passion takes him places, often alongside his new friends, the first he’s ever had in his life.

Between the derring-do, battle scenes, court intrigue, and the question of occupying many thinkers on the cusp of the Renaissance — do the stars foretell fate, or does free will have influence? —The Master of Verona makes for epic adventure. The thrumming plot, larger-than-life characters and perilous twists and turns evoke an approach like that of Dumas. The pages turn rapidly, numerous though they are. Astrology, poetry, chivalry, prophecy, and love figure here, all entertaining subjects, and I enjoy many of the characters, who take them seriously.

Besides Pietro and della Scala’s sister, Katerina, I particularly like Dante himself, who unfortunately drops out of the narrative. Blixt portrays him as a self-absorbed narcissist conscious of his genius who has little time for his children, except when they disappoint him. The exception? His daughter, Antonia, who, at thirteen, keeps the booksellers in line and acts as self-appointed caretaker of her father’s career. In letters, he calls her Beatrice, which she treasures. Katerina and Antonia are women ahead of their time, seeking power and influence denied them because of their gender.

Otherwise, the novel has wars, a horse race through the streets, trysts, duels, and every action conceivable. Not all are credible, and Pietro’s powers can test belief, especially as he’s received little schooling in the martial arts; but never mind. As an added conceit, Shakespearean characters and situations waft through the narrative, whether the plays belong to Vienna Romeo and Juliet), or not (Othello, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing). Note that Blixt is an actor and director, and you can tell: His approach is theatrical, to say the least.

As a storyteller, he offers brio, panache, and a command of historical detail, sometimes wielded with a trowel, drawing back the authorial focus and distancing the reader. This narrative technique, which can seem static, undermines the drive he achieves with the storyline and makes you work to stay connected. The author also indulges in information dumps, swelling the dialogue with facts and background, at which the reader’s eye grows impatient. Or this reader’s does. If these facts matter to the story, and I’m not sure they always do, better to show them through action, rather than have people explain them to each other.

I doubt fourteenth-century people, or those anytime, would speak the way Blixt has it, unless they’re all pedants. Then again, these folk often think like moderns, however intently they hew to the philosophical framework of their era. Present-day vocabulary dots the dialogue, and when characters discourse on various subjects, they occasionally refer to knowledge that lies in the future. They also speak incorrect French, admittedly a minor quibble, though indicative of carelessness of writer or editor that emerges elsewhere.

But it’s the discursive, lecturing quality that hampers the novel most. The final chapters are particularly striking for that, as the narrative struggles to wrap up convolutions and contradictions through speechmaking. It’s an unsatisfying, melodramatic conclusion.

For a wild, evocative ride, in which action carries the day, The Master of Verona makes for entertaining reading. Less would have achieved more. ( )

Being already familiar with the story of Cangrande della Scala, I was keen to read this version of his life. So far, my interest has been maintained and I have not been at all disappointed with David's re-creation of this fascinating and turbulent period in Italian history.

For those familiar with Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", here is the chance to read an interpretation of the "history" behind the play, and meet the real-life characters who inspired the Bard to put pen to paper.

But do not be deterred into thinking this is just a medieval romance - for where would a great story be without a cast of truly interesting characters; intrigue and drama; battles a-plenty; and life, love and death.

A must read - a looking forward for the next instalment in the "Star Cross'd" series. ( )

It was hard to follow. Very complicated with a lot of characters. Plus people were referred to by their name, first, last or nicknames. ( )

4.5 Stars

The Master of Verona, the first novel in David's Blixt's Star Cross'd trilogy, is an epic work of historical fiction set at the outset of the Italian Renaissance. At the centre of the novel is Pietro Alaghieri, son of the renowned poet Dante, a young man whose courage and steadfastness in battle bring him to the attention of Verona's much vaunted ruler, Cangrande della Scala. Trusted by both Cangrande and Cangrande's sister, Katerina, Pietro finds himself drawn deep into the political intrigues of his leader, including efforts to discover the mastermind behind a ruthless plot to kidnap Cangrande's infant heir. Pietro also finds himself caught in the increasing enmity developing between his two closest friends, a once inseparable pair who have fallen in love with the same woman. What follows is the start of a feud that will threaten the stability of Verona itself and will lead to the development of one of the greatest love stories of all-time.

This novel has many strengths, not the least of which are well-developed characters, an engaging storyline and rich detail that brings Northern Italy and its often warring City-States vividly to life. The novel's hero, Pietro, is easy to root for, as is his father Dante, whose genius with words is clearly evident. Cangrande, one of Renaissance Italy's greatest rulers, is characterized as a formidable warrior and brilliant strategist, making it easy to understand how he earns Pietro's respect and loyalty. Although billed as a novel about the origins of the Romeo & Juliet story, this aspect of the plot is in fact secondary to that of the much larger machinations of Cangrande's Verona. As a result, the foundation of the feud between the Montecchio's and the Capulletto's (aka the Montague's and the Capulet's) is successfully placed into the much larger political context of the era.

David Blixt's writing style is such that the book's numerous characters, their exploits and their often complicated and intertwined relationships can be followed with ease. In this respect, Blixt's writing is reminiscent of historical novelist Sharon Kay Penman's, and I encourage any fan of Penman's epic novels to give this book a try. Furthermore, Blixt's prose is of such quality that, despite being close to 600 pages long, the novel unfolds swiftly. The Master of Verona is followed by Voice of the Falconer and Fortune's Fool, both of which I am now eager to read.

Highly recommended to all fans of historical fiction.

Note: A copy of this novel was provided to me by David Blixt as part of his 5-book virtual book tour. ( )

If you were to create a sweeping historical novel set in 14th century Verona with prophecy, jealousy, conspiracy, deception, murder, betrayal and star-crossed love, The Master of Verona is what you would get. It's a long novel, a dense one as well, that packs in a multitude of players, ideas, themes, and carries them from place to place in convoluted, intricately-woven plot of destiny and desire. Taking favorite novels like Romeo and Juliet, and authors of Italian classics like Dante himself, and reinterpreting/re-humanizing them in a new way, David Blixt has set quite a standard with just the first in his Star-Cross'd series. With a keen eye for period and setting detail as well as for crafting a diverse, interesting cast of engaging heroes (and anti-heroes), Blixt has proven himself a more than capable storyteller with talent to burn.

As the author acknowledges in his (extremely readable and interesting) afterward, certain details from historical record have been hedged or completely changed to suit the version of the story he wanted to create. It's all to the benefit of the story, as the immense detail and description provided do more than enough to create a real feel for both characters and the Italian city-state they fight for, and defend, so staunchly. The place as character is really worth mentioning - it's as top notch as the brisk battle scenes, and as alive as the eponymous master of Verona himself, Francesco "Cangrande" della Scala, himself. So much about The Master of Verona is epic in scope - the characters, the plot - and the setting(s) of the novel are no different. Each time the narrative jumps from one place to another, be it Antonia in Florence or a battle in Padua, each scene set in an Italian city is remarkably vibrant, down to the clothes the characters are wearing. Verona especially receives the time and attention of this detail-orientated author, and it is ever more to the benefit of his readers. Seeing the disparate parts of a war-like and divided Italy recreated by such an able author was endlessly fascinating, from Venice to Verona to Padua.

With new twists on famous people, either fictional (Romeo, Juliet) or factual (Cangrande, Dante), Blixt breathes life into his characters. Main character and chief protagonist Pietro Alaghieri (formerly Alighieri) is one of those most interesting characters, but it is the titular Master of Verona, Cangrande himself, that looms larger than life in this debut novel. His actions affect everyone around him, set the plot in motion, and engage the reader. He's more distant than 3rd-person narrator of Pietro, but he commands a lot of attention from the page he is introduced. As Pietro is drawn ever closer to the Great Hound of Italy, plots and conspiracies grow ever more dangerous. The beginning is the hardest go get a sure grasp on the cast, and their respective agendas - the complicated and multiple names, alliances, marriages, cousins - of each character can make it hard to differentiate between multiple people. While the dramatis personae and supporting characters listed at the front of the novel do help, soon nough Blixt grants each character more than enough time, dialogue and action to distinguish themselves from their compatriots (or enemies, in the case of minor antagonist Marsilio de Carrara), but none more than the illustrious and charmed Capitane of Verona.

Clocking in at a hefty and respectable 592 pages, reading The Master of Verona is no mean feat, or an easy commitment. The daunting page count, the impressive cast of characters, the innumerable plots and subplots can be daunting when starting out on such a detailed, intricate journey. I did find this a rewarding, engaging read -- for the most part. The tendency to wax poetic and get rather longwinded is one of the few faults I found while racing through this novel over a two day period. Obviously the digressions and occasional repetitions were not egregious enough to put me off my read entirely, but certain sections of the novel do seem worthy of editing down a page or five, and kept this from a 5/5 rating for me, personally. It was so close to perfect, but I couldn't completely sign off on the last chapters of this epic novel. The last 150 pages, barring the final 10, were the hardest for me to get through patiently. I was eager to get to the bottom of everything that had come to pass, and it all seemed just a little bit too drawn out - with escapade after escapade coming quickly.

With complicated characters, a truly ingenious plot full of unforeseen - and gamechanging! - twists, Blixt is an author who certainly knows how to subvert expectations skillfully. The ending events and revelations that come at the denouement of The Master of Verona are, without doubt, one hell of a doozy. It was one that managed to take me completely by surprise, due to the actions of characters with even more hidden agendas than I had figured out/assumed. Not afraid to toy with preconceptions or previous hints, Blixt ably and succinctly pulled some very deft maneuvering that felt both natural, as well as remarkable. The revelations are creative, clever, and a smart way to ensure continued readership for the next book in Blixt's series, Voice of the Falconer.

I had a lot of fun with this book. I love when authors aren't afraid to try for a lot, or something new, and Blixt does both here, in a debut, no less! I was impressed by the subtlety of the plot, the complexity of the characters and their motivations, and by the ease with which he re-imagined such pop culture favorites (the new Capulletes and Montecchio's and how complelxly their feud evolved had me more invested in a R&J retelling than any I've read before). Fourteenth century Italy has never been more intriguing, or dangerous, than when penned by this promising and talented author. I can't wait to see what is in store for the final two volumes of the Star-Cross'd series. ( )